Cephalaria gigantea is more commonly known as Giant Scabious. The pale lemon flowers are held on tall, slender stems of about 2m throughout the summer. Great at the back of a border to provide height without any bulk. The flowers are rich in nectar attracting bees, moths, butterflies and other pollinators. They make good cut flowers.
Giant scabious will grow in all types of soil but doesn’t like being water-logged. It likes either full sun or partial-shade and is fully hardy. In exposed or windy spots the tall flower stems may need support. Once the plant is establised it is drought tolerant. Very useful in the South East with our increasingly dry summers! During its first year it may need occasional watering in dry spells.
Regularly dead-heading the flowers will prolong the season. In the Autumn, once it has completely finished flowering cut down the old flower stems.
